:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68948760/usa_today_14177979.0.jpg)
Yesterday the SEC Tournament began with the 13th seed Dores of Vandy beating the Aggies 79-68 because NOBODY BEATS VANDERBILT IN NASHVILLE. Thursday will be the first full day of the tournament with four games on the docket.
For those of you who have a rooting interest in LSU hoops you’ll want to pay attention to the nightcap featuring Ole Miss and South Carolina. The winner of that games plays LSU in LSU’s hunt for that elusive first SEC Tournament win of the Will Wade era.
(8) Kentucky vs. (9) Mississippi State, 12:00 P.M., SEC Network
Only chance Kentucky has at keeping its season alive is by winning the SEC Tournament. The Cats have turned the SEC Tournament into the Big Blue Invitational in recent years and I’d expect them to continue their season for at least another day.
Winner plays No. 1 Alabama
(5) Florida vs. (12) Vanderbilt, 25 minutes after UK-MSU, SEC Network
Florida may not have qualified for the double-bye but playing Vanderbilt in round two is as good as a double-bye. The Gators seem to be safely in for the NCAA Tournament, but winning a game in Nashville ought to reaffirm their standing.
HOWEVER
Florida has also lost two in a row, a heartbreaker to Missouri and laid an egg in a must-win game against the Vols on the final day of the regular season. Meanwhile Vanderbilt’s actually playing pretty well (????) and won their first conference tournament game since 2017 DON’T LET THE DORES GET HOT
Winner plays No. 4 Tennessee
(10) Georgia vs. (7) Missouri, 6:00 P.M., SEC Network
Weirdly I feel like playing Georgia is a bigger tossup for Missouri than playing Arkansas. Mizzou has risen to the occasion and beaten really really good teams like Alabama and Illinois. To me if any team playing on day two is going to win the conference tournament, it’d be Missouri.
Winner plays No. 2 Arkansas
(11) South Carolina vs. (6) Ole Miss, 25 minutes after UGA-MIZ, SEC Network
LSU is going to be pulling for Ole Miss for a few reasons. First off, LSU matches up better against the Rebels than they do South Carolina; secondly, Ole Miss is higher in the NET and, should they win, would be a Quad 2 opportunity for LSU. If LSU wants to get off the 8/9 line, beating Ole Miss on a neutral court would be a pretty good win.
Winner plays No. 3 LSU